A crowd gathers in San Jose, Calif., in December to see teen sensation Austin Mahone, who grew up in San Antonio, La Vernia and Seguin. Austin says he's been a rodeo spectator many times, but this is the first time he's been “on the other side” of the arena fence.

Hundreds of teenage girls, including Zoey Niemeier, 15, of Baytown, wait inline to meet Internet sensation Austin Mahone, 15, of San Antonio, who performed his first concert at Czar Houston Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, in Houston.

Austin Mahone, 15, a young and upcoming singer, tries on a hat during an outing to North Star Mall on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2011. BILLY CALZADA / gcalzada@express-news.net (BILLY CALZADA / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS)

Austin Mahone, 15, who has dreams of becoming a big star, poses for a picture with fan Dominique Villarreal, as her friend, Taylor Barrios, snaps a picture, at North Star Mall on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. The girls recognized Mahone from his presence on the internet. (AP Photo/Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News) (Billy Calzada / Associated Press)

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In concertAustin Mahone, 1 p.m. Sunday, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, AT&T Center, East Houston Street at AT&T Center Parkway. Mahone performs after the rodeo and a 15-minute intermission to set up the stage. $12 - $220 through Ticketmaster.

He's a YouTube phenom, his latest single features rapper Flo Rida, and he's touring with Taylor Swift later this year.

But Sunday will mark the first time that teen sensation Austin Mahone has performed on a rotating rodeo stage.

The 16-year-old Radio Disney star returns to his hometown — he grew up in San Antonio, La Vernia and Seguin — to play the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo on Sunday.

No other rodeo show this year sold as fast. That's saying something for a lineup that includes superstar Reba McEntire, country bad-boy Toby Keith and multiplatinum-selling acts like Lady Antebellum.

While the Miami-based singer's career path certainly diverges from those of most high school students (his debut album will be called “Junior Year” on Chase/Universal Republic Records and is expected in April), his reaction to the news of his impressive rodeo ticket sales is fairly typical.

“Awesome!” said Mahone, who just two years ago was posting homemade music videos of himself singing Justin Bieber songs on YouTube, a strategy that has become the norm.

“It just sort of exploded,” he explained. “I wasn't following anyone's example. I was just doing my own thing. I would cover songs that were hot at that time.

“I was doing the iTunes Top 10 and the Billboard Top 10, cover songs that were super popular so that people going to search for those songs, a couple of mine might pop up right there.”

These days the home-schooled teen receives a screaming reception everywhere he goes and that includes being chased in the streets in England and Germany. Some of the fans are very young. He obliges with photos, autographs and hugs. Mahone says he has braced for such “little freak-out moments” in S.A. but also is looking forward to simply reconnecting.

“I'm super excited to come back to San Antonio, to be back home, to see all my family and my friends and just to perform for all the people that I used to see in school,” he said.

Mahone is no stranger to attending the rodeo and its concerts. “It's gonna be amazing to be on the other side for once,” he said.

At the AT&T Center, he'll perform with a DJ, background singers and dancers. He's looking forward to someday touring with a band.

His single “Say You're Just a Friend” featuring Flo Rida is a snappier, Auto-Tune drenched Radio Disney hit that cleverly incorporates the hook of Biz Markie's “Just a Friend.”

“The sound that I'm trying to go toward is more, like, happy, like, pop, just songs that you can get up and dance to,” Mahone explained. It's the formula Dick Clark embraced more than 50 years ago.

Mahone and Flo Rida recorded separately, with the rapper adding his part afterward. The result blew the teenager away. The lessons learned: Things happen fast and hard work pays off.

“It was crazy,” Mahone said. “I was just speechless thinking that I have a song with Flo Rida. I've been a huge fan of his for years, so it's kinda weird.”

He admits that show business is “a little confusing sometimes.” Mahone blows off steam playing basketball, swimming on the beach and going to the mall.

The upcoming tour with Swift is huge. “I've never been on tour before, so I don't know what to expect. But I know it's gonna be a lot of fun and I'm super excited,” said Mahone whose manager is his mom, Michele.

Yes, the stratosphere beckons, but S.A. is home. Yes, he misses his friends, but there's something else high on his homecoming checklist.